Having Spay and Neuter Surgery on Your Pet

At Hazel Dell Animal Hospital, we educate pet owners in Carmel and surrounding areas on all aspects of pet spay and neuter surgery. The correct time to have your female pet spayed and your male pet neutered can often vary from one to the next. The majority can be sterilized by six months of age, but we can determine the best time for your breed at a wellness visit. Having spay and neuter surgery on your pet gives them many behavioral and medical benefits. At Hazel Dell, we’ll also send your pet home with medication to keep them comfortable and give you detailed after-care instructions.

Giving Them Behavioral and Medical Benefits

Having your pet spayed or neutered gives you both many behavioral and medical benefits. First, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re not contributing to animal overpopulation. Pets can have numerous litters throughout a lifetime if left to their own devices. What’s more, the behavioral and medical benefits are some they’re unable to receive any other way. The following are some ways they can benefit:

Male pets have a decreased incidence of prostate problems.

Male pets eliminate their chances of developing testicular cancer.

Female pets have a decreased incidence of ovarian and uterine cancers.

Female pets have a decreased incidence of breast tumors.

Urine spraying and marking behavior is reduced or eliminated in both genders.

Roaming behavior is reduced or eliminated in both genders.

The benefits of pet spay and neuter surgery should be weighed against any drawbacks. Larger dog breeds may be more susceptible to certain cancers and joint issues if they’re neutered too early. Please schedule a wellness visit, so we can discuss the benefits for your pet in more depth.

Taking Care of Your Pet After Surgery

Since our practice is AAHA accredited, we hold our surgical services to a higher standard of care. Your pet’s vitals are closely watched throughout spay and neuter surgery. Afterwards, we closely watch and soothe them as they wake from anesthesia. Your pet will need some extra TLC at home too. Things to keep in mind include:

Check your pet’s incision site daily and watch for unusual redness or discharge.

Distract your pet from licking their incision with treats or use a medical collar.

Hold off from bathing your pet for at least 10 days or until sutures are removed.

Keep your pet from running and jumping for at least 2 weeks.

Give your pet a quiet, comfortable place to recover for at least 24 hours.

If you have any questions or concerns about your pet after spay and neuter surgery, please contact us.